Vyseris Darkstrider
Vyseris Darkstrider is a Draenei Death Knight who currently serves as High Inquisitor of the Ardent Inquisition. She is a known master of the arts of the Unholy as well as a fledgling artificer of plague alchemy. Though still unboundingly loyal to the morally guiding Code that binds her, she has been known to exercise the full extent of breaking from its virtues that her position as Inquisitor demands and has thusly achieved a reputation for being merciless when such unrelenting justice is ever called for. Rarely seen in anything but her self-forged saronite battle-gear with a similarly crafted rune-weapon at her side, she is recognizable through her color-drained bleached white hair, and the pale green tinge of her undead features, which are often obscured by the black silk mask she wears over her face. History Early Life and The Fall of Karabor Born at around the same time that her people had begun establishing their major centers of culture on Draenor, much of her early childhood was spent learning the ways of her people amidst the serenity of the Temple of Karabor. Under the ceaseless moonlit skies of Shadowmoon Valley, she would listen to the tales of the priests and defenders who had withstood the test of time and survived against the onslaught of the Great Deceiver, and of the Prophet Velen who had led them here under the guiding light of the Naaru's embrace. She was taught the virtues of such a life alongside her older sister, Khalisah, who proudly followed in the lineage of their father as a Vindicator, sworn to defend her people against any threat, be it hailing from the Legion itself or the perils of the untamed world they now called home. For Vyseris, her path seemed even early on to be destined with the Priesthood of Auchindoun, the immense burial of ancient souls that had survived the enemy's advance for untold generations, within those twilit halls existed a fascination with the knowledge of who they had been and what they had done for the exiled ones to bring them here. In adolescence, the young draenei proved herself ambitious to her studies, captivating an early aptitude and fervor that left some impressed by her abilities, whilst others, including her father, doubtful of her best intentions. For she held emotions uncontrolled, much to the differential of her sister who had mastered such elements through her many years of being, and it was this that would eventually see to the Auchenai proclaiming that no matter her dedication, she still had more to learn if she was to preside over the souls of the honored dead. There would be little time for her to mourn this development, however, for with Guldan's formation of the Shadow Council and his initial contact with the demonic servants of the corrupted Titan, Sargeras, the Draenei's future on Draenor was doomed. Soon, the native orcish tribes fell into madness and dissent, fueled into bloodthirsty frenzy by the demonic forces now taking hold of their senses and guiding them into open warfare with her people. One by one, the great centers of Draenic civilization began to crumble, softly at first, and then all at once: With little other hope than to prepare herself for the inevitable, Vyseris took upon herself to learn the arts of physical combat to stand alongside her sister, too prideful to stand at the sidelines with her mother in what was then perceived as safety. When the orcish horde finally reached Karabor, their strength was unmatched, an innumerable tide of fel-infused marauders that cut down every living being in sight. The temple fell, and in the chaos of the battle, only a small number of defenders and refugees were able to escape, Vyseris' mother not being counted among them as the orcs breached through the temple walls. For her people, there was only one other place to go, the one bulwark against the horde that had not yet fallen: Shattrath City, the City of Light. Thousands of displaced draenei huddled scared within the walls, too many for the priesthood to provide for, yet so did they attempt all the same. And when the forests of Talador became rife with the stamping of armies, when the trees cracked and splintered at the strikes of orcish axes, it was then that they knew their doom had come at last. Desperate for any solution her could find, the Prophet Velen operated off of the distant vision of somewhere they would be safe, and as the city was destroyed, he led the last survivors of his people towards the hidden conclave of Zangarmarsh. Whether out of courage or shame that he had allowed his wife to die in the events at Karabor, Vyseris' father refused to leave those noble defenders who stayed behind to afford the others time enough to escape, an act that only furthered the despair of Vyseris and her sister, and which fueled the unbridled rage that would carry her to embrace her path as a warrior of the Light. Despite the horrendous losses both in battle and in retreat, eventually the draenei would find their salvation in the existence of Telredor, where the most of their people would hide out for the duration of the Second War, constantly living under the fear of being discovered or infiltrated by those loyal to the demon-lord Kil'jaeden. Outland and The Burning Crusade The two would later participate in the taking of the Exodar and its crash landing onto Azeroth's north-western hemisphere, adjusting to the perils of a new and greatly diverse world. Though still reeling in the grief of what time had brought her to, Vyseris wanted little more than to take vengeance for what had happened to her people and her world, and participated in whatever manner she could the efforts against the Burning Legion in Outland, as well as displaying an unquelled rage towards the Orcish race. Her older sister Khalisah, however, grew further and further distressed at the aggressive and uncontrolled demeanor that she displayed, and eventually moved to restrict her access to the more dangerous engagements in the conflict in an attempt to preserve the person she once knew. The Argent Dawn and Mortal Death This would lead to a veritable rift between the two sisters, as each was forced to go their own separate ways. Frustrated and angered at being taken away from the primary fight against the Legion, Vyseris moved her sights to the conflict now brewing in Northern Lordaeron, where the Argent Dawn fought against the rising Legion-created threat of the Scourge. With a hungering desire to prove herself to her sister, Vyseris eventually came into the command of a small unit of auxiliaries under the Argent Dawn, one that forced her to gain a broader perspective of the world but that also indulged her ambitions of vengeance. After a string of major successes and undaunted pushing tactics, she and her unit were finally stopped when their path was lured into that of a Scourge ambush, which brutally cut them down to the last. Resurrection and The Knights of The Ebon Blade Her story did not, however, meet its end, for her body was taken to the newly arrived Scourge necropolis of Acherus hanging now over the Scarlet Enclave. And there, like the most of her kind, was she resurrected by the unholy power of the Lich King and transformed into a Third-Generation Death Knight. She participated in the attacks on Havenshire and New Avalon, ruthlessly murdering both civilian and crusader alike, the person she had been was but a distant memory fading quickly into darkness. It was shortly after the fall of these settlements that the Scourge turned itself towards the Argent Dawn, and the last fateful meeting between Vyseris and her sister had taken place. After her participation in the battle for the Sunwell, Khalisah had heard nothing returned from her sister's efforts in the Plaguelands, knowing of the intensifying situation and fearing for her sister's unbridled will, she immediately set out to find news of her fate with the only force she could: The Argent Dawn. Thus was she brought directly into the path of the Death Knights of Acherus, as they made their final advance towards Light's Hope Cathedral and intercepted a number of outlying vanguard forces. And so it would be that the two sisters would reunite for the last time, and though Khalisah was yet the more powerful warrior, she couldn't bring herself to end her sister's suffering, causing her death at the hands of Vyseris in the moment that she hesitated. The Ebon Recluse and Finding The Ardent Inquisition ( To be continued...) The Ardent Path and Becoming Inquisitor ( To be continued...) A Murder of Crows and The Wayward Order (To be continued...) Personality in progress. Relationships Daltone S. Gren Through her time as an Apprentice within the Ardent Inquisition, Vyseris has forged a strong and lasting bond of friendship with her former mentor, Daltone S. Gren. It is to his teaching that she owes much of her personal growth and mastery of the Ardent Code, as well as her capabilities as a Death Knight in the application of justice. Morgrim Steelsmith ( To be elaborated...) Ravenicia Runestar ( To be elaborated...) Abilities Master of the Unholy Trained fully to embrace the dark nature of her resurrected form by the teaching of the preeminent figure of unholy practice within the Ebon Blade, Lady Alistra, it is clear that Vyseris has followed in this path since near the beginning of her ascent to undeath under the Scourge. Equipment Armor and Robes She most often wears a set of dark-tinted saronite platemail armor, the design indicative of fine Draenic craftsmanship yet resonating with the unholy runes etched into it by the Death Knights of the Shadow Vault. It is concurrently adorned with the heraldry of the Ardent Inquisition, whose brilliant shade of light marks a decidedly contrasting image against the rest of her appearance. The design of the armor is indicative of one wishing to maximize mobility at the expense of more-restricting protection, it is a clear hybrid of two distinct styles. Unless among those that she truly trusts or wearing her robes in a diplomatic session, her face is generally covered with the black cloth mask that is attached to her cloak. At her side rests her personal copy of the Ardent Code, a simple brown cover book with a small chain to attach it to the belt at her waist. Whilst many of her colleagues within the Ebon Blade would find little of worth in her modifications to the standard fit of saronite, the Inquisitor urges that her increased range of movement allows for a far more offensive approach that best befits her usual choice of attack. When undergoing a mission of diplomacy or engaged in an otherwise highly social situation, there comes the rare moment that Vyseris would see fit to instead shirk her armor in the favor of a simple collection of tan-colored robes, undyed and without much luxury beyond the soft cotton of their folds. There robes would be recognizable towards any who had seen the traditional armament of the Inquisition, that being of only cloth and the Ardent Code in their hands. Whilst the Inquisitor herself may often seem ill at ease in such situations, it is with the utmost respect that she abides by the nature of the order and trusts in the path set out for her. It is not entirely impossible, despite the warnings of the Code against doing so, that she is completely left defenseless when on matters of diplomacy. "Redemption" An immaculately forged nethersteel blade of equal parts Draenic and Kaldorei design, the katana that remains sheathed near constantly at her side has become an article nearly synonymous with her lethal movement in combat. She will typically reserve the use of the runes upon the blade itself for strong opening incisions, intent upon allowing the dark powers that lay hymning in dormant hunger within to be freed once a viable wound is opened. Striking quickly and capitalizing upon damage inflicted early on, Vyseris seeks to wear her opponent down through the afflictions brought on by singular precise strikes, until such a point that the battle is concluded or an enemy lay defeated. The blade itself appears to have some personality of its own, given the nature of such runeblades handled by the Knights of the Ebon Blade, with "Redemption" often calling for its master to cause further elongated pain where it needn't be held, this leading to a sometimes conflicting battle of wills during the thrill of battle. Given this trait, the very name of the weapon is at least in some parts a mockery, Vyseris having called it as such to refute the idea that one can ever possibly be redeemed of anything. It is in her eyes that a weapon forged for dark purpose, will always remain as such until wielded by one seeking to err that edge for the sake of all. Alchemist's Kit Carried in the dark leather satchel at her side are a plethora of dark instruments of cultivation, each one specifically tailored towards a specific intention of use in the twisted arts of plague alchemy. At basis, it serves to contain a wide variety of well-packaged herbs and substances ranging in rarity from simplistic vials of essence of pain to the more ghastly concoctions harvested from only the most vile forces of the undead Scourge. Though few would ever be privy to knowledge of where she had learned to practice with skill this darkest of arts, a small number of well-guarded phials bore some of the only unrestrained experimental uses of the profession outside of the Undercity, though it remains highly unlikely that such tainted power would ever see the light of use in the controlled hand of the Inquisitor. Trivia * Vyseris' name was in fact taken out of inspiration from having read George R.R. Martin's A Game of Thrones just prior to her creation, having switched a few letters around from the name of the character Viserys Targaryen. * One particular piece of music has proven essential to her characterization and concept, "Salty Seas" by Devics. "...the falling leaf that never tries, to hold onto what, keeps it alive..." Category:Ardent Inquisition Category:Draenei Category:Characters Category:Death Knights Category:Order of the Ebon Blade Category:Argent Dawn